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« Rolling Soon... |Main| Just Checking In... »June 20, 2010Here's The Filipino FoodWell folks, in spite of my best intentions to continue on my previous teaser post with a timely follow-up, more information, and answers to your questions, it turns out that I got sidetracked. Rolling hundreds of lumpia by hand, cooking hundreds of chicken thighs and legs for adobo, breaking down and butchering sides of beef and slabs of pork belly, and prepping who-knows-how-many-pounds of green papaya and carrots for homemade achara, takes up just a bit of time.
Actually, all of that takes up a GINORMOUS amount of time.
What's with all the cooking, you may be asking?
Well, if you haven't heard by now (from say here, here, here, here, or here), I've started a new venture outside the confines of this Filipino Food Blog of mine.
This new venture? It's called The Manila Machine: Los Angeles' First Filipino Food Truck. Crazy right?
For my international readers who might not be very familiar with L.A.'s mobile food culture, let's just say that serving different types of food out of a wandering restaurant on wheels is kind of a big deal. And for my local readers... Yup, another food truck.
But this food truck is different! Different, I say!
Along with my business partner, fellow Fil-Am, and fellow food blogger Nastassia Johnson (of Let Me Eat Cake fame) we are THE FIRST truck to bring Filipino food to the masses of Southern California. And besides being THE FIRST FILIPINO FOOD TRUCK in SoCal, Nastassia and I are also the first food bloggers to enter the crowded arena of mobile eateries.
So why did we choose to serve Filipino food? If you're a regular Burnt Lumpia reader, my reasons for doing anything with Filipino food should go without saying. But I'll say them anyway. I've spent the past few years researching, cooking, and writing about the food of my culture. It's been my mission to promote Filipino culture and cuisine via this blog in my own quirky ways. And although I'm not a professional chef, Filipino food is something I'm passionately passionate about (that's right, passionately passionate).
And besides my own personal and cultural reasons for starting a Filipino Food truck, you might have heard that Filipino food is hard to come by in Los Angeles. Thus, The Manila Machine is simply our vehicle (pun?) for making Filipino cuisine more accessible to the good people of L.A. and beyond.
With a menu that features adobo, pan de sal sliders, lumpia, and turon (among other Pinoy goodies), The Manila Machine officially opened to much fanfare on June 10, 2010 at the Downtown LA Artwalk.
How did we do?
As soon as we opened our doors windows, a huge line was already forming down the street. And then...
...we sold out of EVERYTHING in the span of a few hours on our opening night.
Seriously.
from The Manila Machine
and Beef Tapa Pan de Sal slider with housemade achara
Into the night
Since The Manila Machine's debut, support from Los Angelenos in general, and from the Filipino community specifically, has been fantastic. Team Manila Machine has been working so hard for the past few months to bring this project to fruition--I personally haven't slept through the night in weeks, and I've lost 10 pounds--but all the hard work has been worth it. Nothing made us happier than seeing our community come out in droves to support us. Thank you Los Angeles!
The Manila Machine's mission is to introduce the masses to the wonderful flavors of the Philippines, while also offering SoCal's large Filipino-American community a taste from home. We realize that we won't be able to please everyone, but we are confident we can get people excited for Filipino food. Don't you think it's about time for our culture and cuisine to get some shine?
If you haven't already, please support The Manila Machine and the Rise of Filipino Food (Even if you live nowhere near L.A.!)
Follow The Manila Machine on twitter (@manilamachine).Like The Manila Machine on Facebook.Tell your friends and fam about us. Scream it out your windows!And heck, follow good ol' BurntLumpia on Twitter and Facebook.And we're continuing to bring new Filipino dishes to the masses. In fact, just a couple days ago, we introduced our new Original Manila Dip Slider--a pan de sal slider filled with shredded chicken adobo and caramelized onions and accompanied with an adobo dipping sauce (think French Dip but with 100% Pinoy ingredients). Thankfully, our lunch crowd went crazy for the Original Manila Dip, so be on the lookout for that on our regular menu. Also expect more specials down the road (sisig anyone? silog, hello?)
Lastly, I wanted to take some time to thank some old friends and new acquaintances who have reached out to me in the past few weeks leading up to The Manila Machine's debut. Many Filipino chefs, restaurateurs, and food writers sent me some very kind words of encouragement for my latest adventure. I won't name-drop here, but I have looked up to all of you for so long and consider you all Filipino Food Gods and torch-bearers of our culture and cuisine. I will continue to lean on all of you for strength and encouragement, my Kababayans. Your advice has meant so much to me, and I hope to do you all proud.
--Maraming salamat po.
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CommentsCan't say enough how proud I am of you and Nastassia. I'm not even Pinoy, but I can't help but feel so happy for both of you ;-) Roll on!
Posted by:Gastronomer |June 20, 2010 at 12:42 PMWow! Congratulations! Come on out to Chicago! And share your recipes!
Posted by:Vicky A |June 20, 2010 at 12:46 PMCongratulations. I hope you might also share some info on the road from your decision to do a truck to opening night. I'm interested in doing a truck in the future and would love advice.
Posted by:Catherine |June 20, 2010 at 01:35 PMMarvin, all i can say is "bwisit ka! inunahan mo ko!" haha. just kidding, but seriously, id love to be in LA right now... i shall visit home soon! -Allen Buhay
Posted by:allen buhay |June 20, 2010 at 05:35 PMGood for you Marvin & Natassia! And good for Filipino cuisine as well!
If only I could drop by in person and sample everything...it's a shame you're too far from my neighbourhood!
I wish you and your new venture all the best! GO ADOBO!
Congrats!!!
Posted by:RLV |June 20, 2010 at 08:24 PMCONGRATULATIONS! i know so many pinoys out there miss the usual pinoy food. that means you have the chance to expand your business in every state. more power!
Posted by:Edik |June 21, 2010 at 01:01 AMCongratulations! I'm going to tell my friends and family in the LA area to watch out for the truck! I will definitely check it out when I visit.
Posted by:Saraplicious! Kitchen |June 21, 2010 at 05:53 AMthis is awesome... hopefully your truck has much success and all your hard work pays off
Posted by:Frank Maulit |June 21, 2010 at 07:54 AMJollijeep!! Congratulations, Marvin.
Posted by:Tarcs |June 21, 2010 at 10:04 AMThat is great! What a wonderful idea and I agree, everytime I'm in LA, I could never find filipino food. I always have to go to National city. Good for you.
Posted by:Joy |June 21, 2010 at 10:37 AMBig congrats to you and Nastassia! We want to try it all!
Posted by:The Duo Dishes |June 21, 2010 at 11:10 AMCongrats, Marvin and Nastassia! You both are such great bloggers and I'm glad you have teamed up to create this wonderful thing. I'll definitely help spread the word.
Next time I'm in LA, I'll be keeping an eyeball out for this orange truck!
Posted by:Leela |June 21, 2010 at 11:19 AMMy husband just climbed over me, crushing my organs, to read about the Original Manila Dip Slider.
Suffice it to say, you've been added to our itinerary for next years LA vacation!
Congrats! Looking forward to tomorrow's event at Americana. See you soon! :)
Posted by:bagito |June 21, 2010 at 08:38 PMPutting the NorCal/SoCal rivalry aside for a bit (I'm from the Bay Area), I'm now downright JEALOUS of SoCal, having The Manila Machine to feed them. And I'm hungry now, too. Damn. :D Good luck on the venture and continue to spread the Pinoy love!!
Posted by:Michelle |June 21, 2010 at 10:17 PMCONGRATULATIONS and the very best of luck to you all. It's hard to find good Filipino food in the Seattle area as well or any other city I have ever visited for that matter. What's up with this anyway?
Only thing missing from your truck is the jeepney look - I think that would take it up another notch - ya think?
Posted by:rq |June 22, 2010 at 12:48 PMYaaay! I have been tossing around the idea of doing this in Portland, OR, where food carts rule the streets!
Posted by:chrisgunn |June 22, 2010 at 06:12 PMGreat stuff! Wish you all the best in this venture.
Posted by:Beth |June 22, 2010 at 06:44 PMCongratulations!! I admit I haven't been following your blog as regularly as I used to, but well, I'm glad to see that now that I've dropped by, you're doing great things! One of these days, I'll have to come visit your truck...lemme know if you'd like to add bibingka (complete with banana leaf, haha) to your menu, I can mass produce mini ones (about the size of a jumbo muffin cup)
Posted by:Hector |June 22, 2010 at 07:09 PMAwesome, awesome, AWESOME! I love what you're doing Marvin! Way to get out there and spread the word that Filipino food is bomb. I'm new to your blog and fell in love at first sight. I'm currently in Salt Lake City with my husband but L.A. is home. Hearing about the Manila Machine through friends on Facebook got me excited but to now hear that you're one of the reasons behind it is making me even more excited to move back home later this year! I didn't mean for this to be such a novel, I just can't help how excited I am for all of you involved. Having been classically in the culinary arts and having worked with great chefs in Las Vegas, I can't wait to get back home and back to work in a kitchen (crossing my fingers for a spot in Suzanne Goin's kitchen) where I can re-hone my skills and one day do what Amy Besa did in NY. Kudos man, I wish you all the success in the world!
Posted by:Ria Barbosa-Wilson |June 22, 2010 at 07:21 PM*I meant classically trained. And yes, if you pimped your truck out to look like a jeepney it'd be that much sweeter! Can't wait to hunt down your truck when we get back home!
Posted by:Ria Barbosa-Wilson |June 22, 2010 at 07:25 PMOh man - can't you take a road trip to northern CA? Prety, pretty please?!? I mean, we already have a vibrant truck culture and all.
Seriously - a big congratulations. I am thrilled for you and wish you all success.
Posted by:Diane |June 22, 2010 at 09:25 PMWow Marvin! Best wishes for a super-successful business. What a great idea; your menu sounds terrific, that combined with your enthusiasm and fabulous cooking it cannot help but be a winner. I look forward to tasting your awesome foods and supporting the Manila Machine!
tasteblog is following you on twitter, hope to be in the same area one day real soon
Lori Lynn
Wow, this is SO WEIRD. I swear not even 5 minutes ago I was just looking at your twitter and website. I'm very excited to see a filipino food truck! Sorry you got kicked out today. Try off of Grand where the Wells Fargo building is, trucks don't seem to have an issue there and it's really close to my office. I'd love to visit sometime. I'd say DTLA during lunch and WLA during the evening (Olympic & Sawtelle, perhaps!) is the way to go, but that's just me being selfish. ;)
Posted by:roxan |June 23, 2010 at 02:55 PMFilipino food I think is the same way like Asian cuisine its so delicious.
Posted by:Health Insurance |June 23, 2010 at 04:14 PMGood for you; I'm not Filipino and I don't even live in the US but I can't help but feel proud when a fellow anyone has such a strong drive and desire to promote something they're so passionate about -especially food (for my own greedy reasons)! And even more so, when they actually DO something about it! Congrats and wishing you all the best; keep it up! And don't forget your blog...there's still so much for me to learn about Filipino food :)
Oh yes, I forgot to mention...perhaps adding halo halo to your menu could be a nice touch too :)
Posted by:Jenny |June 24, 2010 at 04:51 AMAhhhhhhh, duuuuuude, drive that think to Phoenix!!! I mean, Pe-nix! ;D
HUGE congratulations, Marvin--I was hoping this is what it was. I hope you go far, literally and figuratively, with this venture! I'm excited to see what comes next!!!
Posted by:Julie |June 24, 2010 at 08:04 AMTHAT IS AWESOME!!! I just find it hard to believe that it is hard to come across a Filipino restaurant in LA considering how many are over there! Can't wait to read more about your business venture!
Posted by:joy |June 24, 2010 at 01:19 PMOMG YES! I thought you were coming out with a book, but this is so much better than anything I could have imagined. Congratulations on this new, exciting venture, and I wish the best of luck to you and Nastassia! Gonna have to hunt you guys down the next time I pass through LA.
Posted by:Dee |June 25, 2010 at 10:20 AMCongrats and good luck on your new venture!! Wish I lived in LA...but since I don't, I posted the URL to this page on my Facebook page for my SoCal friends! And yes, I've just "liked" The Manila Machine on Facebook as well. *two thumbs up*
Posted by:NJ Julie |June 25, 2010 at 02:43 PMMabuhay kayo! Cheers from Makati, Philippines!
Posted by:Neil |June 26, 2010 at 06:45 AMCongrats to you M & N! Way to go it's about time LA Pinoy's represent...Maybe get Guy Fieri to showcase.... To answer RQ's Question, I think the biggest stumbling block with most Filipino Restaurants are since there are so many islands and provinces and regions, there is no standard or set recipe for food. Hell in one Barrio you could get Adobo made a dozen different ways with whatever is available and then compound that from region to region, say Ilocano vs Visayan etc.. Well do you get the pic! Also for the masses out side of da Kababayan. Is maybe a presentation problem, sometimes lacking eye appeal or too rustic for the uneducated palate. So to see the Beef Tapa sliders and how you were able modernize and fuse classic home Pinoy food with creative plate lunch Whoa!!! Good thing I would say! Best of luck!
Posted by:Ewakane1 |June 26, 2010 at 11:51 PMOMG i saw this truck at the downtown art walk. I was there!!! I got super excited when i saw it. On the other hand, the line was way too long so my friends and i were like eh...maybe next time.
Posted by:Becky |June 27, 2010 at 10:47 PMAwesome! You need to bring this out to NY/NJ! Seriously, if you ever need a partner. I know this is a rather weak business proposition but you know the deal, if you're ever interested just email me.
Posted by:Cheryl |June 28, 2010 at 10:28 AMDude that is so awesome. So, so awesome! Congrats and best of luck!
Posted by:Gin |June 28, 2010 at 06:08 PMCongratulations and good-luck!!! I am sure that it will be a success. :) Your recipes taste so good and work so well - I am sure that your new venture will work out great, too. It has to!
Posted by:Peony |June 29, 2010 at 01:50 AMThat is absolutely awesome, Marvin! Bravo on your efforts to promote our cuisine to the populace! This is going way beyond what you originally set out to do with your blog, and I salute your passion. I hope it's a huge success, so that there will be many more Manila Machines rolling around the US, and more people will be turned on to Pinoy food. :-)
Posted by:Katrina |June 29, 2010 at 12:33 PMCongrats on the Manila Machine!! I ran across your press release through a friend and I was thoroughly impressed to say the least. I know your truck will be successful so I'll just say "drive safe". Cheers!!
Posted by:Caleb |June 30, 2010 at 02:56 PMHi Marvin, I just read about another Filipino food truck, only it's in SF and focuses mainly on sisig: http://blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie/2010/06/theres_another_filipino_taco_t.php
Posted by:Dee |July 01, 2010 at 09:52 AMOh, and I guess before that there was one started in Brisbane, just south of SF: http://blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie/2010/04/hapa_sf_ex-citizen_cake_chefs.php
Another step closer to world domination via Filipino food trucks!
Posted by:Dee |July 01, 2010 at 10:06 AMMarvin: Congratulations on this new venture! I'm very excited about what you're doing: kudos to you and I wish you the very best. We're heading down to LA in the next couple of weeks so we'll be following your truck around. Congrats, congrats, congrats.
Posted by:[eatingclub] vancouver || js |July 01, 2010 at 12:11 PMCongratulations!!! This is fantastic Marvin! Our cuisine needs people like you! :) Go go go Manila Machine!!! :)
Posted by:joey |July 03, 2010 at 04:21 PMLechon Wagon is up next, at a jeepney stop near you.
Posted by:Vince |July 06, 2010 at 03:52 PMcongrats! Good on ya...
Posted by:Mary |July 06, 2010 at 10:30 PMBoy, am I jealous that you aren't here in Ohio with your truck! I'd be one of the first to line up!
Posted by:Stacey |July 07, 2010 at 01:48 PMHey marv! I think i commented here before but I don't know where was it. Anyways, congratulations again and this is a huge push for Filipino food. Like a truck ramming in to everyone you took Filipino food to the next level.
I'll get the truck photograph because I will feature you in my site this coming tuesday. And hopefully ask for an interview from you and Nas. Please say yes. Cheers mate!
Posted by:ziggy |July 09, 2010 at 11:12 PMI only stop in to read every couple of months (having found you when looking for a lumpia rolling tutorial). So, I just found out Manilla Madness is you & N!!! Wow!!! I'm going to stop by soon!
Posted by:Liz |July 11, 2010 at 09:46 AMI just found out about you through my cousin who currently resides in Taiwan. How awesome to have a Filipino Food truck! I'm so glad to have come across your blog! I can't wait to read past posts and follow along!
Posted by:Ethel |July 14, 2010 at 08:51 AMMarvin! How awesome! A friend of mine tweeted fab reviews of the Manila Food Truck! Love it!
Posted by:Alisa-Foodista |July 14, 2010 at 09:41 AMwhere's our lechon kawali/bagnet, crispy pata, and chicharon? hehehe believe me sir, they might be afraid at first, but once they try it . . . oh, wow!!!
Posted by:mabuhay |July 20, 2010 at 08:19 PMGood luck with the new venture...hope the non Pinoy would try the food.
Posted by:Alex |July 25, 2010 at 05:37 PMBrilliant!!! Enjoy showing the world your amazing food.
Posted by:Hypnotherapy London |July 28, 2010 at 01:09 AMCongratulations and thank you for promoting Filipino food... I hope you make pork sinigang too and some kakanin for dessert :D
Posted by:Olive |July 28, 2010 at 06:29 PMoh my gosh, what fantastic news!!! Congrats on this exciting and delicious new venture. It sounds like it's a smash hit!! So happy for you, you deserve it! :D
Posted by:wasabi prime |July 29, 2010 at 11:52 AMCongrats to both of you and to those who supported your endeavors. I will looking for a cross country tour in the future! Keep up the good work!
Posted by:salmon910 |July 30, 2010 at 05:29 AMJust came across your blog-- the truck sounds awesome! I am in Los Angeles and will have to hunt you guys down for some Filipino grub. Aside from having Filipino food from my friends' homes, I really don't see a lot of restaurants, so this is great. I'll also have to check out your recipes for one of my future posts!
Posted by:Karen |August 02, 2010 at 10:15 AMAlthough I know I'm a little late, congrats, this sounds awesome! And so cool that you just decided to go for it!
Posted by:Brilynn |August 02, 2010 at 09:50 PMI'm so happy that you have started this business venture. I'm from Orange County and we love the Kogi truck that comes over our way.
Do you think you will be making trips down to OC with the Manila Machine?
Posted by:Lea @ Healthy Coconut |August 17, 2010 at 01:51 PMMabuhay ang Manila Machine!!!! ..mula sa BAGUIO CITY!
Posted by:nomarsdivad@yahoo.com |August 18, 2010 at 02:29 AMI love your concept. I'm a Filipina who just moved to Sydney and I love to cook. My husband and I have been toying with the idea of doing something like this here. Would you be open to sharing some ideas to help us get started?
Posted by:mireille |August 18, 2010 at 07:18 AMThe truth - I am surprised. I knew that there are taco trucks, pizza and even meat trucks - but now, Filipino food truck? Good to know!
It looks absolutely delicious.
Posted by:truck rental |August 23, 2010 at 05:58 AMWow! This is a great post! I'm here in LA and hope to see this Manila Machine. I love Filipino food and will definitely buy from your machine. Thanks a lot for sharing. Mabuhay!
Posted by:Paul of MyFilipinoRecipes |August 30, 2010 at 01:11 PMbring it to Vancouver!
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